Distant Memories
by FreeSpiritRinoa
Summary: Cloud had just recently lost his friend, Zack as he comes close to losing another person close to him named Rikku who is his girlfriend. Awaking from his short coma, he learns that he and Rikku had been a accident and leaves because he feel he can never be forgiven. (Summary will be edited later.)


**Cloud's Point of view**

** "Dreams and Honor"**

_Who knew in two short years, my life will be changed forever. _

_Who knew?_

_~2 years ago~_

Standing at the bathroom mirror as I looked up to see a young man with wet blonde hair and blue eyes with flicks of green swimming in the blue pool, staring at me with an exhausted expression on his face. My reflection. With my hand slapped onto the cold surface of the fogged stained glass while I was pressing my body against the mirror but I finally pulled away leaving behind a handprint. Water dripped down my back since I had just gotten out of the shower not too long ago. Sighing deeply, I felt a strange feeling flutter in my chest but it's only due to lack of sleep and proper rest. Pushing myself away from the mirror where I no longer saw my reflection, I heard a sweet voice call my name from the bedroom.

"Cloud." A young female looked at me as she sat on the edge of the bed with her blonde hair resting over her chest as she wore a black dress as she was now putting on her black high heels. "You sure you going to be okay?" Rikku had asked. My friend, Zack had recently passed away. No one saw it coming since he was young and healthy. He just went to sleep one night and never awoke again. I nodded as I went and got dressed for the funeral. My hands began to shake as I tried to zip up my black pants; Rikku noticed my tension as she walked over wrapping her hands around mine as she looked into my eyes. "Cloud, I'm sorry." Her voice tried to ensure me everything was going to be okay but instead I only broke apart into tears, collapsing my body into her small body. It's funny how someone so small could be so strong for a weak man such as myself.

The funeral was rather blurry or maybe it's because my head had been in a daze all day. I was standing at Zack's tombstone, looking up at the grey winter sky as I heard Aerith behind me. "Zack, he really cherished you like a brother." I could tell she had been crying as I looked over my shoulder to see her hands resting on her pregnant stomach. She was Zack's wife of 3 years and was expecting their first child, a baby boy. Luckily, Zack was still alive to pick out the name of their first son which is going to be Noctis. "Cloud…" I had just turned my head away to look back up at the cloudy sky again as I heard Aerith spoke. "Since Zack and I have no siblings, will it be okay if Noctis call you uncle and Rikku, aunt?" She asked such a silly question as I finally laugh softly at her. "Yes, that will be fine." I felt Aerith smile although I sensed that there was pain behind it as she thanked me and walked away to her car. I stood at the tombstone a few more minutes before finally saying my last good-bye.

Rikku waited for me in the car as I got in to see her sound asleep in her seat, I reached over to kiss her head careful not to awake her. I pulled out of the parking lot and started driving home. Rain started pouring down harder, making it harder for me to see the road as well the cars in front of me. Rikku woke up as she heard thunder. She is almost twenty years old and still scared of thunder. Once at the stoplight, I looked at her, a bit concerned as I heard her whimpering in fear. "Rikku…" I placed my hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently as I gave her a smile while I kept my other hand on the steering wheel. "It will be okay, I'm here." She finally smiled back at me as my hand locked into hers. "I love you, Cloudy." Giving me a quick kiss as she called me by the most annoying nickname ever given but hearing it from her, I can't stay annoyed with her long.

_Life is short. Enjoy it while you can. Embrace your dreams. _

Those were the last words I heard from Zack. We were at the river, where we played a lot when we were kids. Zack was busy tossing stones across the river's surface as he continued to talk about Aerith, he was excited about becoming a father. Even was teasing me about when I was going to ask Rikku to marry me, I told him when the time is right but also told him that I want him as my best man. Zack, of course, agreed. We continued to toss away our stones into the gentle flowing river as we continued to talk about Zack's new baby, our childhood and the future.

_Embrace your dreams with honor._

Zack's voice echoed through the darkness as Rikku's screams brought me back to reality. A little too late. Far too late. Glass shattered as metal groaned and moaned fast but everything was happening so slowly. The last I remembered was Rikku screaming my name as pain was shooting through my body. I tried to reach for Rikku but she vanished from my world as everything goes black.

I lay on the ground, staring at the sky as rain was falling down on my broken body. Gasoline filled the air with its stench as smoke began to fog my vision. I could hear Rikku crying in pain, she was crying my name but I couldn't tell where she was. My world had been flipped upside down. Opening my mouth, I began to scream as if someone was going to help me but everything was silent. Not even Rikku's voice was heard, just the sounds of metal creaking as sirens in the distance was growing louder but by then, I had already slipped into darkness for good.

_I'm sorry. _

_Rikku…_

_Please…_

_Say something._

**Rikku's Point of view**

**_"Sunflower"_**

Sitting at the edge of the bed, I slowly slipped my foot into the black high heel as I kept my attention on Cloud. He seemed so fragile, yet he's really good at hiding his emotions. Concerned I asked him if he was okay and when I walked over to him, he only broke apart more. I wonder if I'm any help at all? I'm not used having to act strong for Cloud since he's always strong for me. Holding him, I tried my best to keep my body balanced as his weight was bearing down on me. I didn't know what to do or say so instead I held him until he was calm enough to finish getting dress for Zack's funeral. Nothing felt right. Zack was young, he was healthy! He didn't even looked sick the last time Cloud and I had visited him. How can one simply go to sleep and never to wake again? Especially someone like Zack. That morning Aerith had called Cloud, crying because Zack wouldn't awake I watched Cloud come undone. The mask he tries to fool me with, I know he is hurting deeply. He can't fool me but I keep playing along, hoping to fool him that I don't see the sadness and hurt in his heart.

The weather today…

_Sighs_

It's so depressing even though I'm at a funeral; the dark clouded skies seem to make everything gloomier. Deciding to Cloud some time to say his last good-byes to Zack, I headed to the car to wait for him as I was greeted by Reno and Rude who were wearing their Turk uniforms. Of course.

"Yo'know," Reno said as he took a short pause looking at me. "Zack was a good man. Just never acted his age, you two would have made perfect siblings." He joked as I forced a smile upon my face. Rude only stood there, as he spoke in a robotic tone with his hands folded over each other. "He will be truly missed." Rude didn't really speak much, in a way he reminded me of Auron minus the smart attitude he would have at times. I smiled again as I gave them a nod. "Yeah, you know Zack though I think he wouldn't want us crying over his death. He lived his life to the fullest." I tried to sound energetic but truth was I'm emotionally exhausted. As I said good bye to Reno and Rude, I hurried over to the car.

Finally sitting in the car, I sighed deeply as I closed my eyes.

I think…I saw my mother. She was smiling at me, as she held a wildflower to her chest as she continued smiling at me. _I love you my dear little sunflower. _The name she always called me as she cradled me in her arms.

_My sweet sunflower._

Her words repeated over and over again as it seem to drown out of my head.

_Bam!_

My eyes quickly flew up as I jumped, as I saw the rain beating down on the car window. Cloud looked at me. I blinked as I was staring at Cloud. I felt his hand on my shoulder as I smiled at him. "I love you, Cloudy." Feeling his hand finally in mine as I reached over, giving him a quick kiss. After I pulled back into my seat, my eyes drifted over to my window as I watched the world pass me by. Silence danced in the air as I noticed Cloud seem to be staring into space. This didn't alarm me when he was driving since he always done this but what was stranger was, how he didn't seem like he was here. As if his mind was elsewhere. My attention suddenly drifted over to see a car coming over the wrong side of the road and what was worse, it was heading towards us. I let out a scream hoping to draw Cloud away from his fantasy world and back to reality. Everything happened fast as my body jerked forward at the strong impact as windows shattered and the metal of the car made a groaning sound. My world is spinning. Is this really my last day?

But all I saw was darkness and feeling my body burning as I cried in pain. Nothing or no one came to my rescue.

_I tried to reach for you but only breathless screams escaped from my lips._

_I can't find you._

_I wanted to cry but no strength was left inside of me._

_I kept hearing your screams…your cries._

_Can you hear me?_

_Please find me. Save me._


End file.
